


Snippets from other worlds

by EmberLeo, Yours_Truly_Commander_Shepard



Series: Dragon Age: The Musical! [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Poetry, Challenge Accepted, Humor, Parody, Poetry, background adoribull
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:28:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24957631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberLeo/pseuds/EmberLeo, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yours_Truly_Commander_Shepard/pseuds/Yours_Truly_Commander_Shepard
Summary: Bits of poetry inspired by _In Another World_ and _Mass Effect: Inquisition_ by Yours_Truly_Commander_Shepard
Series: Dragon Age: The Musical! [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1243205
Comments: 9
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yours_Truly_Commander_Shepard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yours_Truly_Commander_Shepard/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorian is not very good at Sestinas.
> 
> Or, well, I'm not.
> 
> But I blame Dorian.

“Marvelously done!” came a voice from the upper gallery. “I am composing a poem in honor of what I just witnessed. Perhaps a sestina?” 

“A sestina would be a terrible vehicle to describe the Qunari,” Bull rumbled in his baritone. “You can’t rhyme it, for one.” 

“Don’t challenge him,” called Varric, from the front alcove. “That’s the sort of thing authors take to heart. He’ll do it just to spite you.” 

“Safari,” Dorian said contemplatively. “But six times? That’ll be a stretch.” 

\-- Mass Effect: Inquisition, Chapter 38

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

\--------

Bull stretched out across Dorian's satin sheets studying the parchment in his hand. "I told you you couldn't rhyme 'Qunari'."

"Sestinas don't customarily rhyme anyway, Bull."

"This is still really terrible."

"True. But worth it, wouldn't you say, _Amatus?"_

"You've been spending too much time with Varric, _Kadan."_

"There's no such thing as spending too much time with a man who has nearly infinite access to Antivan Brandy, darling."

_Upon the Skyhold doorstep stands an elf  
His eye is blackened and his nose is broken  
He claims the Arigena of the Qun  
Has sent him to the Herald with a message.  
Our previous encounter gives them cause  
To send for boiling oil, not for Shepard. _

_Resigned to leadership, our Herald, Shepard  
Begins by granting healing to the elf  
Who never in his life has e'er had cause  
To trust a mage, for those the Qun has broken  
He matters little, he but brings a message:  
The offer of alliance with the Qun; _

_"The resources and knowledge of the Qun  
Exchanged for sciences unique to Shepard.  
The people of the South will heed the message  
of order you restore to man and elf,  
of rifts you close beneath the sky, once broken  
Now merely scarred, and all will join your cause _

_against Corypheus. "That’s_ not _my cause,  
These problems are but symptoms." "That's the Qun!"  
But Shepard shook her head. "Our trust is broken.  
Your ways are much the same as any shepherd  
whose superstitions claim to rule the Self.  
I find no greater value in your message _

_than in the Chantry's or Tevinter's message.  
I therefore have no interest in your cause.  
If units of Qunari, men, and elves  
would like to join our army from the Qun  
then they will take their orders straight from Shepard.  
I hope, for your sake, your mind won’t be broken.” _

_His efforts on the Qun’s behalf now broken,  
the _viddathari _left with Shepard’s message.  
A brochure and a charter, both by Shepard -  
the only tech she’d offer from her cause  
to aid the wary and divided Qun -  
were all the Herald sent home with the elf _

_"Dear Shepard, they have left, their promise broken_  
_I'm sure Bull’s former elf-friend got the message_  
_I doubt we’ll have more cause to fear the Qun."_


	2. In Another World...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Limericks.
> 
> And horny elves.
> 
> But mostly limericks.

Commander Shepard gave the bard, Ember, a skeptical look. "Is a sestina really the best vehicle to tell the story of how Shepard kicked the snot out of a Qunari buddyfucker, healed him, and sent him on his way with an aquaculture pamphlet? I’ll trust your judgment. I can barely handle narrative, let alone metered verse."

Ember laughed. "Oh, no, it's absolutely terrible thus far! It would be FAR easier for me to write it in one or another epic poem or ballad meter. But that's not the point. When I come across a story where a character mentions intent to write a poem or song about the plot, I take it as a challenge!"

Shepard's eyes widened.

\----

Meanwhile, _In Another World_ :

Felassan smirked at his friend. “It has been _so dull_ without you, Solas. Here, read this limerick. What rhymes with ‘rock’ and ‘lock?’”

Solas chuckled. "A great deal rhymes with rock and lock. Clock and flock and crock..." he replied evasively.

Felassan tapped his lips with one finger. "Hmm, I'm not sure I have this _quite_ right."

_What Longing has come to unlock_  
_Lavellan would find quite a shock_  
_She found Pride so pretty_  
_It moved us to pity_  
_She must have lived under a rock_

Solas raised an eyebrow, silently tracking Felassan as he paced around him in a circle.

"No, no, that's not quite right..."

_Two agents, both sworn to Mythal_  
_Found Elgar'nan's parties banal_  
_The spirit so stunning_  
_And linguist so cunning_  
_Had everyone else in their thrall_

Solas suppressed an amused huff.

"Hmm.... What about,"

_There once was a woman from Kirkwall..._

"Oh! Yes, that's it! Hawke!" Felassan announced triumphantly.

Solas gave in, chuckling. "Oh, yes, 'Hawke' rhymes with 'rock'. Of course."


End file.
